पृष्ठम्:विक्रमाङ्कदेवचरितम् - बिल्हण.pdf/३६

32
INTRODUCTION.
He stopped his march and performed on the banks of the
river S'antis or propitiatory ceremonies intended to avert the
throatened ovil. Whilst he was still engaged in these rites,
he saw the chief messenger of his father coming from the capi-
tal, with a face that clearly announced him to be the bearer
of bad news. The prince asked the Halkâr at once for
news of Alavamalla, since already on the appearance of
the omena he had been anxious about the welfare of the latter.
Reluctantly and with many tears the messenger told the dismal
story of Alavamalla's sudden illness and death. The king, he
said, had been supremely happy on learning his son's success
against the Chola, Pandya and Simhala.2 In the midst of his
rejoicings he had been attacked by a malignant fever. Finding
that all remedies were of no avail, he had resolved to finish
his life in the Tungabhadrá, the Ganga of the south. With the
consent of his ministers he had travelled to the sacred stream
and had died in its waves, meditating on S'iva.*
On the receipt of those news Vikramdditya was deeply affect-
ed and loudly manifested his grief. At first he refused to be
consoled and had to be disarmed lest he should attempt his
own life. After a while he recovered and performed the fune-
ral ceremonies on the banks of the Krishna.
1. IV. 31-43.
2. It is to be noted that the expeditions to Central and Eastern India
are not mentioned again and that order of the wars differs from that
given above.
3. The same epithot is applied to the Tungabhadra in the
inscriptions.
4. IV. 41-68. Verse 58 contains a regular confession of Ahava-
malla's faith in Siva. Lasson's conjooture J. A. IV. 105 that he became
a Jaina, appears without foundation. Indian princes will build tomples
for many strange gods, without forsaking their Kuladevatà or
Ishtadevata. The Kuladevata of the Chalukyas of Kalyana appears to
haro boon Vishnu, as they use the boar as their emblem.